Man dies after inhaling anthrax

[thomas newton]

A drum-maker who inhaled anthrax spores while handling imported animal skins at his workshop has died in hospital.

Fernando Gomez, 35, from Hackney in east London, had been in the intensive care unit of Homerton University Hospital for more than a week.

A hospital spokesman confirmed he died from inhalation anthrax rather than cutaneous anthrax, which is contracted through the skin.

Seven other people have been given antibiotics as a precautionary measure.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said it was attempting to trace where the infected skins originated.

A hospital spokesman said his condition had deteriorated overnight and that he died on Sunday afternoon.

More at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7705328.stm

[korman]

How terrible that this still happens time from time!

[buckoh]

Could this happen while sanding down a steer hide that is too thick? I recently did this to a bongo head that was too thick. I had a vac hooked up to my random orbit sander. It helped the head sound better but, it still sounded bad. I wasn't able to sand the sides.